President Joe Biden signed a bill to avert a railroad strike.
It was approved by the House and Senate at breakneck speed in September. Several unions voted against that deal because it didn't include enough sick leave.
Now, striking is illegal and workers will have to accept the contract for the next two years.
The contract has no paid sick days, which makes railroaders and their families feel "frustrated" and "defeated."
"For a lot of us, wives and railroad workers, it was just like throw us a bone, give us something," Railroad wife Ali Whitbeck said.
"It feels like the railroad expects me to put everything on hold because they're unwilling to support their own workers," railroad wife Kimberly Paseka said.
Ali is a stay-at-home mom and wife of railroad track inspector, Clayton Whitbeck. She never knows what time he'll get home or how they can make any plans over the weekend due to his schedule. When her family contracted the flu, she could not ask her husband to stay home and help without sick time.
"To try and do that, and then of course not be able to do it well and you're trying to take care of other children and the other children get sick, it's hard, it's very, very difficult," Ali said.
Her story is not far off from the Pasekas. When their family contracted COVID-19, railroad buildings and bridges worker Bryan Paseka's livelihood suffered.
"I believe I was off work for six days, unpaid. The railroad was the one dictating how long I had to stay off of work, but they're not paying me to stay out of work either," Bryan said.
With legislation in Washington not addressing paid sick days, Clayton says he wouldn't recommend this job to anyone interested.
"I may be leaving this industry. It has taken its toll on me enough where I want out. When you don't feel valued, when you don't feel like they truly care," Clayton said.
That's a sentiment echoed by Kimberly.
"I would not be surprised to see an exodus after this."
3 News Now reached out to Union Pacific who provided this statement:
"Union Pacific knows quality of life concerns are real and we are working with employees to make changes. However, anecdotes that rail employees do not get time off work are untrue. Union Pacific employees receive several paid days off to use as personal days, holidays and sick days. No Union Pacific employee has been fired because of missing a single day of work, and we actively assist employees who encounter hardships that require time off.
Union Pacific is pleased the U.S. Senate acted quickly to implement the tentative labor agreements, averting a strike and keeping our nation’s supply chain moving. With yesterday’s vote, we need to come back as one Union Pacific and work together to address quality-of-life concerns that have been raised. We are committed to doing the work."
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